Ukraine’s Interior Minister to ‘wise heads’ in the rear: ‘We cannot shoot civilians’
Ukrainian soldiers won’t be shooting at civilian population in the course of a mopping-up operation in Sloviansk, Ukraine’s Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said on his Facebook replying to a harsh criticism.
“Our enemies are hiding behind [civilians] and shooting from there. We cannot sweep them out with machine-gun or helicopter firing because there are houses of non-combatants. When such a war is in progress I appeal to everyone who is behind enemy lines, who is very clever and is trying to give advice: please, get the point! Our army has been persistently undermined,” he said.
According to Mr Avakov, it is the first time for many years that the country’s army has made an attempt to coordinate themselves. “We realize who is who … Please, understand and help us. Everyone is able to help being at their own place,” the Minister calls.
Yesterday Ukrainian forces lost 4 persons during the counterterrorist operation in Sloviansk, some 30 were injured. About 800 armed insurgents were holding the front against them. The enemy suffered significant losses: a number of fatalities among the separatists is being specified.
